If I were born again, I would marry a strong but short-lived husband.

When Ruan Xinglin arrived, he saw Lu Yuan still standing alive. Although his body was covered in blood, he was still alive.

"Lu Yuan, your injury..." Ruan Xinglin looked at his shoulder worriedly.

It was just a simple bandage and I don't know how deep the wound is.

"It's just a minor injury." Lu Yuan didn't take it seriously.

He glanced sideways at Ruan Xinglin.

"You know who it is." Lu Yuan said in a low and cold voice.

He wasn't asking, he was confirming.

"It's He Jingyao." Ruan Xinglin said in a deep voice.

He raised his eyes and looked at Lu Yuan, "I have ordered him to be killed. He will not be allowed to return to the Southern Dynasty alive."

Lu Yuan pursed his lips tightly, his eyes dark.

Ruan Xinglin explained in a low voice, "It can't be the palace's intention. He must have found out your identity and told He Zhiyuan. He Zhiyuan doesn't want you to go back."

When mentioning He Zhiyuan, Ruan Xinglin's tone could hardly hide his disgust for him.

At first, the emperor misunderstood that the child in the queen's belly was He Zhiyuan's. He Zhiyuan could obviously explain clearly that the queen had not crossed the line with him, but he chose to be vague in front of the emperor, causing the emperor to misunderstand the queen.

If it weren't for He Zhiyuan, Lu Yuan would never have ended up in the Yong Dynasty.

Ruan Xinglin wished he could kill He Zhiyuan with his own hands.

"Uncle, Lu Yuan and I are here. You go back to the Honglu Temple first. The imperial guards from the Zhenfu Division will be here soon. We want to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings by seeing you here." Master Lu glanced at Lu Yuan and said to Ruan Xinglin.

"Based on what happened tonight, I'm afraid the alliance between the two countries will not be able to continue. I will leave Yong Dynasty soon. Lu Yuan, we will give you an explanation." Ruan Xinglin said.

Lu Yuan raised his eyes and looked at him, "He Zhiyuan is afraid that I will follow you back to the Southern Dynasty, why?"

Ruan Xinglin sighed, "This is not the place to talk. I will explain it to you tomorrow."

"I'll go back to the Honglu Temple first." Ruan Xinglin nodded to them.

He no longer saw the people brought by He Jingyao in the Honglu Temple. Those who remained were all his people.

"Go out of the city immediately to check. The soldiers brought by He Jingyao are stationed outside the city. See if they are making any moves." Ruan Xinglin said.

He should also make preparations. It might be difficult for the negotiations between the two countries to continue, and he should return to the Southern Dynasty.

"Young Master." Xi Ye came back with a bloody sword and knelt on one knee in front of Ruan Xinglin.

"Let He Jingyao run away?" Ruan Xinglin asked.

Xi Ye: "Young Master, He Jingyao was seriously injured by my subordinates. He could have been killed with one sword, but two guards appeared and rescued him."

By the time he dealt with the two guards, He Jingyao had already run far away.

"As cunning as a fox, he is birds of a feather like He Zhiyuan." Ruan Xinglin snorted.

"Send people out of the city to chase him. He Jingyao will definitely escape back to the Southern Dynasty and kill him in the Yong Dynasty." Ruan Xinglin said coldly.

Xiye responded in a low voice.

Ruan Xinglin also instructed the others, "Be alert. If Yong Dynasty does not want to form an alliance with us, we may not be able to leave here safely."

……

……

The pacification officers quickly cleaned up the scene and rebandaged Lu Yuan's wounds.

Just as he was about to interrogate the assassin in person, a message came from the palace asking Lu Yuan to come to the palace for an audience.

When Lu Yuan arrived at the palace, the moon was already at its highest point in the sky.

He took a deep breath, not knowing whether Suisui could sleep well tonight. He wanted to go back early to be with her.

The emperor drank a few too many glasses of wine tonight and had already fallen asleep early.

He got up late at night to relieve himself. Suddenly he noticed that there were more guards outside, so he asked the chief eunuch.

Only then did I know that Lu Yuan encountered an assassin outside the palace, and the assassin did not look like someone from the Yong Dynasty.

For safety reasons, the commander of the Imperial Guard sent more people to patrol the palace.

After all, there are too many people entering the palace today. What if there are dangerous or suspicious people staying in the palace?

When the emperor heard that Lu Yuan was assassinated, he lost most of his sleepiness and immediately sent someone to summon Lu Yuan.

"Is the injury serious?" the emperor asked Lu Yuan.

"Your Majesty, this minor injury of mine is not serious." Lu Yuan knelt on one knee and answered respectfully.

"No need to be polite. Stand up." The emperor waved his hand. "You have fought with them before. Who do you think they are? Are they from the Southern Dynasty or the Western Frontier?"

Lu Yuan: "One of them looks like an envoy from the Southern Dynasty."

"Sure enough!" The emperor was furious.

"Someone, go to the Honglu Temple and invite the envoy from the Southern Dynasty to come to me."

Although he said "please", the emperor's tone was firm, and it was clear that he no longer intended to deal with the envoys from the Southern Dynasty.

Lu Yuan lowered his eyes, "Your Majesty, please calm down."

How could the emperor calm down? He paced back and forth, "They attacked you, clearly wanting to warn me."

"They want Tianhe City to open Kaiyun. They want us to give the silver from the national treasury to the Southern Dynasty for nothing. Do they think I am an ignorant and incompetent monarch?"

"Fu'an, go and summon the cabinet ministers to the palace."

"I want to open a special shipping camp, and the Southern Dynasty will not dare to interfere."

Lu Yuan listened quietly to the emperor venting his anger. Only after he had scolded the entire Southern Dynasty did the Yangxin Palace return to calm.

The emperor finally said in a cold voice, "Since the Southern Dynasty has no sincerity in continuing to be our ally, there is no need to negotiate further."

"Lu Yuan, you..." The emperor wanted to order him to do something, but when he saw his slightly pale face, he said, "You should have a good rest in the next two days."

"I asked the Second Prince to go to Tianhe City in person to take a look at the port and dock there."

Lu Yuan: “Yes.”

The palace maid who went to the Honglu Temple to deliver the message came back soon.

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Ruan of the Southern Dynasty is waiting outside the door."

"Hmph, let him in." The emperor snorted, "Lu Yuan doesn't have to leave."

He stopped Lu Yuan who wanted to leave.

Ruan Xinglin was still wearing a long and loose robe, looking calm and elegant.

"The envoy of the Southern Dynasty greets His Majesty." Ruan Xinglin bowed.

"Why are you the only one here? Where are the other envoys?" The emperor frowned.

Ruan Xinglin: "Your Majesty, I am the only one in the Honglu Temple tonight."

The emperor sneered, "You Southern Dynasty are playing a good conspiracy. On the one hand, you want to marry, and on the other hand, you hurt my ministers. Do you really think that I dare not take real action against them?"

"Your Majesty, I absolutely dare not think so. Is there any misunderstanding in this matter?" Ruan Xinglin said.

"There is no misunderstanding. Since you, the Southern Dynasty, have no intention of forming an alliance, please go back. There is no need to sign the alliance letter." The emperor waved his hand.

Ruan Xinglin said respectfully, "Your Majesty, I'm afraid that there are villains behind this matter. Please give me some time. I will find out the truth and inform your country."

In any case, He Jingyao's assassination cannot be elevated to a conflict between countries.

The consequences for Lu Yuan were too dire.

"A villain is behind this?" The emperor stroked his chin, "Why did you choose Lu Yuan to be assassinated?"

Ruan Xinglin lowered his head and said, "I will give your country an explanation."

The emperor no longer cared about any explanation. "If you are sincere in negotiating peace, tell your emperor who is trying to assassinate our ministers and bring your heads to Yong Dynasty to apologize."

At least there is no intention to completely break off diplomatic relations.

Ruan Xinglin glanced at Lu Yuan without leaving a trace, "Yes, Your Majesty."